Attention, crustacean fans: today is the start of the eagerly anticipated Florida Keys lobster season.
Surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, the Keys are a paradise for lovers of fish and seafood. Diners can savor plump pink steamed shrimp, fish and chips made with mahi-mahi so fresh it's practically still swimming, and chilled stone crab claws with creamy mustard sauce.
Topping the list of enticing Keys seafood is the native lobster, often called spiny lobster.
As well as delectable dining, these lobsters make a lucrative harvest for the area's commercial fishermen. According to the Florida Keys Commercial Fishermen's Association, more than 80 percent of the spiny lobster harvested in Florida is caught in the Keys area.
Unlike the northern variety, Keys lobsters are clawless. But unless diners are clueless, once they bite into the sweet and tender meat of the tail, they won't pine for the pincers.
For maximum enjoyment, lobster should be savored in one of the Florida Keys' waterside seafood shacks or gourmet emporiums while watching an orange-red sunset.
The most popular way to serve the sensational crustacean is grilled with melted butter or, like its Maine cousin, steamed or boiled. While traditional northern trimmings might include boiled potatoes and corn on the cob, it's not unusual to find Keys lobster paired with Cuban black beans and yellow rice.
Some area chefs prepare lobster stuffed and broiled, while others blend lobster meat with exotic sauces incorporating tropical fruits such as mango. It's possible to start the day with a luscious Lobster Benedict at some creative local eateries — and few people can resist the Lobster Reuben at Keys Fisheries in Marathon.
The annual Keys lobster season is celebrated with diverse land- and water-based events. They include a Lobster Rodeo competition for divers in the Middle Keys and a three-day Key West Lobsterfest highlighted by a street party and feast on the island's Duval Street
Courtesy of Fla-Keys.com
Photo courtesy of Key West Lobsterfest
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